2015 REAL ESTATE PREDICTIONS

What does this year have in store for you? If you’ve been waiting to sell your home, 2015 might be the perfect opportunity! This year (2014), was the best year in the U.S. economic recovery since the 2008-2009 recession. With the economy accelerating; fueling jobs and income growth, the outlook on prospects for homeowners and would-be home buyers is positive.

Mortgage Rates Will Head Back UpAn improving economy means that mortgage rates will unavoidably increase again. Freddie Mac, the now-government controlled corporation that buys and sells mortgage securities, conducts a weekly survey of mortgage rates being offered by lenders in the U.S. They also make various forecasts relating to the housing industry. Their long-term outlook calls for gradually rising rates over the next 12 months. They expect the average rate assigned to a 30-year loan to rise gradually, perhaps reaching or exceeding 5.0% by the end of next year.

Granted, this is only a real estate prediction for 2015 — not an assurance. But it is based on some of the best data available, analyzed by economists who specialize in mortgage and housing trends. So it probably won’t be far off. Think of it as a well-educated guess.

Mortgages Will Be Easier to ObtainAccording to the Federal Reserve results of its July “Senior Loan Officer Survey on Bank Lending Practices,” mortgage lenders are relaxing their standards in several key areas.

To briefly explain, lenders are allowing lower credit scores and higher levels of debt, where mortgage borrowers are typically concerned. This trend is an industry-wide reaction to lower loan volume. Traditionally, when application volume goes down, lenders try to compensate by relaxing their standards and putting more loans into the pipeline. This happened in 2014, and it will likely continue into 2015 to some degree.

The Impact of MillennialsSome millennials, born between 1981 and 2000, are no longer living with their parents as they struggle to pay off student loan debt. Although the job market has been a challenge, employment is improving, and older millennials are planning for the future.

Millennials between the ages of 25-34, represent about 65% of first-time home buyers. This means that older millennials (young adults) are at an age when many are getting married and starting their own families. In the next 5 years, millennials are predicted to have a major impact on the growth of the housing market.

Closing Out the Foreclosure CrisisIt’s been seven years since the housing bubble burst and foreclosures skyrocketed, but in 2015 we’ll see the end of that era. Already this year has seen fewer foreclosures and short sales in the mix. With foreclosure inventories down more than 30%, it is predicted that there will be a slightly greater drop in foreclosure levels in 2015.

However, the situation will differ in every market, neighborhood and individual home, which is why most people prefer working with a Real Estate professional.